


The Creature of the Watkins Manor

by timeman6789



Series: Fallen London Stories of Nero Severn [2]
Category: Fallen London | Echo Bazaar
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-02
Updated: 2017-04-02
Packaged: 2018-10-14 00:23:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10525035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/timeman6789/pseuds/timeman6789





	

I stood still behind a crate with shallow breaths. The sounds of the creature breaking crates and anything else it could get. Holding onto my arm trying to stop the flow of blood. It was a new suit as well. Guess I can't give it the bill. I dropped my rifle, had no more ammunition for my pistol and my backup skyglass knife shattered on the floor. No way I could defeat it now, I need to get out. I need to get help. I need to, wait it's quiet. How did I get into this?

Think. I sat in my study. I lived in handsome set of rooms above a shop front at the bazaar, which I owned as well. I had been looking into a way to get to the Iron Republic, but before I had the chance to continue the investigation I had a new case that grabbed my attention. Since I began the investigation with my brother’s death I had found out that I had enjoyed investigating and that I was good at it. So I made it a habit. The client a Mr. Watkins wanted me to investigate his Manor House. For a week now he had been hearing scratching and objects being broken somehow. His maid had disappeared and now he found his butler unconscious with claw marks on him. At first I thought he was a drunk, since the smell of mushroom which most of the wine down here was made of. Then I saw his butler with claw marks from a creature I could not recognise. Normally not handling cases like this but recently been some hunting of the more dangerous creatures of the Neath to give myself some fighting skills, so I could handle myself. So I accepted the case, the client was ecstatic shaking my hand with great effort and told me a hotel he would be staying at. Not knowing what the creature was I brought my infernal sharpshooters rifle slung over my back, small pistol also of hell’s design and a skyglass knife as backup. It was an old Manor House in the marshes with not much around it except for mushrooms. I had been given the key so I let myself in. First thing I wanted to look at was the history of the manor so I went to the study to look at the records of the place. I found that predated the fall and had a extensive  basement with a large warehouse. It belonged to the owner's father when he was still living. Records for the warehouse showed a crate which contained an egg from unknown creature. They also had other stuff like weapons from…

That's it the basement looks untouched for years the weapons that were in the records must still be here. I looked in the darkness for the creature but also the weapons crate. I saw it a crate with carrow’s steel on it, they sell all kinds of weapons. I walked slowly to it. Trying to make no sound that would alert the creature, if it was even still here. I got the crate which was damaged probably from that thing, but there was ammunition still undamaged. Getting the ammunition, loading my pistol and feel slightly more confident, I made my way to the door which lead back upstairs to the manor. Thump. I turned quickly and fired six times with the pistol. Seeing flashes of the creature long claws and black eyes. Then it screamed and I turned and ran through the door into the corridor. I could hear it behind me, getting faster and faster. I went into one of the door of the corridor. Breathing. Just breathing trying to think of how to get past it now, hearing it pace up and down the corridor if the basement. 

Think. The unknown creature’s egg was an obvious next step but wanting to get more information before heading down there and possible conflict, I continued to investigate upstairs. The client told that there were some places in the Manor where the sounds would not follow him. Like the library which he said he slept in the last few days. In these rooms there were some similarities. Like each room had bookshelves, they were damp, had mushrooms growing, nice chairs…

Wait that was it, mushrooms. Watkins smelled of mushrooms, it avoided rooms with mushrooms and the Manor was shrouded with mushrooms in the marsh. That's why it hasn't left the Manor. I wonder why the creature would hate nice chairs. Taking in my surroundings I was in the wine cellar, perfect. I grabbed a nearby box and began filling it with some bottles of wine, Greyfields 1879, the cheap stuff that had not been touched. I waited until the creature was on the other side so I could get to the stairs. I pushed the door open and started throwing as much of the mushroom wine as I could. Hitting the creature it screamed like banshee, it took great effort to continue and not cover my ears. When I ran out of bottles, I ran as fast as I could to the stairs. I made to the top. 

Think. I finished looking around upstairs so the next step would be to look for the egg or eggshells if my theory was correct. Near the top of the stairs to the basement I heard something behind me. I moved faster as something swung behind me catching my rifle, making it fall to the ground. With nowhere else to go I ran down the stairs. Running down the corridor and through a door, I found the warehouse at least. Even in the darkness of the basement I could see the broken crate with some kind of nest. I couldn't recognise what it was made out of, when I got closer I realized what it was. I found the maid, she was in pieces. Trying not to dwell on that with the creature now after me. Thump. I grabbed my pistol at my waist and span around firing at it six times. Everyone missed as it dodged out the way with unnatural speed. It clawed at me only managing to scratch my right arm. I pulled out my skyglass knife and plunged it into its arm, it launched me back. As it pulled out the the knife and threw it, shattering on the ground, I hid behind a crate thinking what to do. 

I grab the rifle the creature ripped off me and ran to the end of the corridor standing and aiming at the door. Waiting for the creature to burst through. Waiting and aiming. Then it crashed through the door running at me with it’s unnatural speed. I could not shoot now, I’ll miss. It would not kill it, I have to wait. Wait. Wait. Bang. The creature dropped to the ground. Still. Only now in the slight light I could see it. Its pure black skin like looking at the night sky back on the surface. It even has the lights like stars now fading along with it's life. I could make out consultations on its skin the same from the night sky on the surface. The ones my brother and I often studied. When the lights went out the creature slowly fades into black mist until it disappears completely, and the mist dissipates. I breath heavy realising that I hadn't been for a while now, I fell to the ground out of exhaustion. Not doing a case like like this again, at least not for a while.

Later I met with Mr. Watkins at the hotel and tell him that I got rid of the creature. He ecstatically shakes my hand yet again and gives me my payment. He rushes off, probably back to his Manor and to find a new butler and maid. Back at my study I wonder about that creature while looking at it’s broken egg shell thing. What was it? What was it doing down here with skin like the night sky? And was that the last I would see of it since it merely disappeared in a black mist?


End file.
